I feel like I always have to have it all together. The roles I’ve been given have a lot to do with this feeling I carry with me on the daily. I am married to a brilliant, gifted, and Godly woman. To be a husband who’s up for this kind of marriage, I better have all my stuff together. But it isn’t just this role that challenges me to have it all together. I’m a father of four wonderful young adults, but how will I be helpful to them if I don’t have it all together? And then I lead a growing staff team that depends on me for vision, direction, strategy, and development. If I’m going to have what they need, I better make sure that I’m always strong and prepared for what it takes to lead them. And then there’s this growing church I lead. If I’m going to continue to be the pastor this expanding congregation needs, I better have it all together. And last but not least, how will God be happy with me if I don’t have it all together?

Do you ever feel the pressure of having to have it all together?

So much so that in a job interview, when asked about any challenges or weaknesses you have, you say something like, “You know, sometimes I just work too hard” or “I occasionally look down on people who aren’t as competent as I am.”

There’s nothing wrong with being strong in some areas. Let’s be honest; if you aren’t very competent, you might not need to be in certain roles. And of course, having the kind of character that enables you to do your work in the right way is necessary. But needing to be great at everything, to know how to do everything, to be able to take care of everyone all by yourself…now that’s a load that no human can bear. And yet, we still try to become self-sufficient so that we never have to show vulnerability or weakness.

Personal growth is important, but getting to the place where you don’t need anything will cutoff the flow of God’s grace in your life.

Yes, we need to take personal responsibility for our own growth. Yes, God’s grace can help develop us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and relationally. However, our aim isn’t to get the place where we no longer need the grace of God operating in our lives.

Do you actually have space in your life for grace?

If there’s no need for God, there will be no dependence on God. If there’s no space for grace to operate in your life, you will forfeit the grace of God that He’s portioned for you. God graces our lives for a purpose, but the purpose was never intended to lead to a life void of God’s grace.

“Grace is God acting on one’s life to accomplish what one cannot or will not do on one’s own.” -Dallas Willard

The person who writes the most about grace in the Scriptures is Paul. Out of all the times “grace” is mentioned in Scripture, between 60-75% of those belong to Paul. He actually frames our relationship with God through the lens of grace. And some of you are familiar with this. In fact, you rightly understand that grace is necessary for any of us to have a relationship with God through Jesus. Here’s one of my favorite examples of this:

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast

You and I cannot save ourselves. We cannot atone for our own sin. We cannot work our way to a restored relationship with God. So if you are not a Christian, please know this:

You cannot become a Christian without the grace of God.

The invitation, then, is for you to receive God’s grace today and put your faith in what Jesus has done for you. Receive this as a gift. While we rightly understand this is how our lives with God began, some of us think that grace is only necessary for the forgiveness of our sins . Here’s what we need to know:

You cannot grow as a Christian without the grace of God.

We can posture our lives to either forfeit grace or so we can receive grace. And it can be easy to posture our lives to receive grace in the beginning of something. But the more we achieve and accomplish, the more competent we become, even the more spiritually mature we become…it can be easy to assume grace isn’t needed. And when you assume you don’t need grace, you will forfeit the grace God intends for you.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. And I know that this man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows – was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn to my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When you first start reading these words, you’re wondering, “Who exactly is Paul talking about?” He says he knows a man who was caught up to the third heaven 14 years ago. Just so we’re clear, who is Paul talking about? Himself. He says there is nothing to be gained by boasting and then he starts boasting.

Paul’s writing like this because many leaders have been boasting about what they bring to the table, even referring to themselves as “super apostles”.  Paul references this incredible experience God gave him. But he also isn’t interested in drawing people to think much of him.

When it comes to the good things being displayed in your life, who are you hoping to draw attention to?

One commentator wrote this:

To dwell on our own excellence is dangerous because it causes us to turn our attention from God’s glory to our own and stokes the sinful desire to create a circle of admirers for ourselves rather than disciples for Christ.

Paul writes that he was given a thorn in his flesh to keep him from becoming conceited. The word that gets translated thorn literally means “a sharp stake used for torturing or impaling someone”. What was this thorn? We have no idea. Some people think it was a bodily ailment. We don’t know and I think that’s helpful. We all have something in our lives that should keep us humble and dependent upon the grace of God.

What is present in your life that should keep you humble and dependent on God’s grace?

He asks God three times to take it away and God doesn’t. Jesus then speaks to him and promises that his grace will be enough for him. Sometimes God will take away what we want to see removed from our lives. Other times, God will give us the grace to live with it. I want to say something to you, but it’s really hard for me. My name is Ben and I am daily in need of God’s grace. I love helping people; I naturally hate asking for help. And sometimes I believe the lie that I’m all on my own. Are you familiar with that one?

We all have needs that can’t be met by ourselves. Our needs can lead us to despair or to invite God to do something about them.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

A Throne of Grace

With Confidence

Receive Mercy

Find Grace to Help us in our Time of Need

Where do you need God’s grace and power to show up in your life right now?

There are some things I’m very good at and there are other things that I’m not at all good with. There are things God has gifted me with and many things He has grown me in. I’m so grateful for these things. But would it encourage you to know what I don’t have or can’t do on my own?

I’m so impatient and I don’t know how to slow my mind down on my own.

I’m really good at big-picture vision and I really struggle with giving my attention to all the details to make the vision happen.

I rarely sleep through the night.

Naturally I care way too much about what other people think.

I need God’s grace for all of these weaknesses I carry. And you have your own needs for God’s grace to show up in your life. Know this:

There is enough grace for everything you are weak in right now.

There is enough grace for everything you aren’t sure of right now.

Here’s a little more vulnerability from me today. I feel like there’s a major shift happening inside of me and in this season of my life and I’m not sure how to make sense of it. I feel like my role as a father is changing. And in this new season at Epic Church, I’m certain how I do my role is changing, but I’m not sure in what ways it is changing. And though I feel great most days, my doctor is starting sentences with, “Most men your age are going to see…” and I’m reminded again that my need for grace is only going to grow throughout the rest of my life.

There is enough grace for every assignment God has given to you.

Could we stop pretending like we have it all together or like we have to have it all together? We want Epic Church to be a place empowered by grace and we want Epic Church to be a people empowered by grace.

Grace meets our needs and it empowers us to do what we could never do on our own.

It is sufficient. Our weaknesses open up a portal for Christ’s power to enter our lives. The cross looked like weakness. But in reality, it was a portal to resurrection power. “My grace is sufficient.” – Jesus. We’re going to respond to this invitation.

Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.‍